A simile quilt
Instructions for teachers:
The simile quilt can be made but will need to either have photographs of the pupils’ chosen objects or the
actual object attached. This is not that difficult to do with a digital camera, students could also find ‘easy to
stick’ objects like leaves to attach to their quilt. Shells might prove more awkward!
Recap the basics:
What is a simile?
A simile is when we compare one thing to something else using the words ‘as’ or ‘like’, e.g.
 The leaf looks like paper.
 The Headteacher was as grumpy as a camel.
Why do we use similes?

Similes make our talking and writing more interesting.
You will need sufficient resources for this, such as a bag of leaves (if you’ve done a spot of gardening),
pebbles or shells.
To keep this exercise straightforward, the poems will be structured and have one line dedicated to each of
the five senses.
First then, recap the five senses with the students: sight (seeing, looking), touch (feeling), hearing, smell,
taste.
Pupils choose a leaf / stone / shell etc from the selection. Give them a few minutes to carefully examine their
object – to feel it, smell it (probably not taste it), and to see whether it reminds them of anything.
Hold a discussion as a group. It is extraordinary what pupils may come up with because the object is
tangible. The trickiest bit comes when you ask them to write what it reminds them of / makes them think of.
Choose suitable senses to frame the poem around.
For example:
My leaf looks like …
My leaf smells like …
My leaf feels like…
My leaf reminds me of …
Example of a poem:
My leaf looks like a hand.
My leaf smells like tobacco.
My leaf feels like tracing paper.
My leaf reminds me of bonfire night.
My shell looks like a bowl.
My shell smells like tuna sandwiches.
My shell feels like Granddad’s ashtray.
My shell reminds me of skimming stones on holiday.
There are two worksheets with this resource as well as an additional version of the simile questions with
answers to use in a group activity on an Interactive Whiteboard, or individually on computers. The children
can move the answers to fit the question. One suggestion that would suitably match each question is in a
text box below. The clichés may be helpful for a lot of pupils. If you can access the IT suite, pupils will love
making their own answers in text boxes.
You could also try only having one question at a time to answer and put as many or as few suggestions as
would be suitable for your children underneath.
© 2008 www.teachitprimary.co.uk
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A simile quilt
Simile poem
My leaf looks like ...........................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
My leaf smells like .........................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
My leaf feels like ............................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
My leaf reminds me of ...................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
© 2008 www.teachitprimary.co.uk
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A simile quilt
Similes to complete
The moon looks like .......................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
Raindrops on the window look like ...............................................................
.........................................................................................................................
The soap smelled like .....................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
The flowers looked like ..................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
The waves were as rough as ...........................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
The clouds are as fluffy as .............................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
The boy walked as slowly as ..........................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
The snow fell down as quietly as ...................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
The rain falling on the roof sounded like .......................................................
.........................................................................................................................
The snow on top of the mountain looked like ...............................................
.........................................................................................................................
© 2008 www.teachitprimary.co.uk
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A simile quilt
Similes to complete
Drag the words in text boxes to complete the similes.
The moon looks like
Raindrops on the window look like
The soap smelled like
The flowers looked like
The waves were as rough as
The clouds are as fluffy as
The boy walked as slowly as
The snow fell down as quietly as
The rain falling on the roof sounded like
The snow on top of the mountain looked like
icing on a cake.
a mouse.
flowers.
a tortoise.
splashes of paint.
cotton wool.
drumming.
a torch beam.
a scribbly line.
© 2008 www.teachitprimary.co.uk
tiny bubbles.
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